Chapter 167 – Finally Safe

[2009 – October]

Feeling the heaviness in her body slowly disperse, her consciousness returning to her hazily, Celeste forced herself to open her eyes, even if only barely as she was still weak.

Her psychic abilities were still paralyzed as the sedatives that had been injected into her bloodstream were a specially developed drug that was particularly effective in suppressing the mental capabilities of a mutant with psychic abilities.

Celeste expected to find herself back in her cell but the warm light emitted by the light source above her did not illuminate the familiar sterile environment of her glass cage. Instead, what appeared in her sight was a mostly white room that looked like a medical ward.

All this though faded into the background the moment her gaze fell onto the form of an unfamiliar blonde woman that looked at her calmly while trying and failing to hide the concern and nervousness in the depths of her bright blue eyes.

The woman had a flawless beauty to her, even the slight anxiousness in her gaze could not overshadow her grace. If anything, it added a hint of vulnerability to her, which made her look even more enchanting.

Celeste had never seen the woman but she had no problem recognizing her as the similarities between herself and the blonde were rather striking, though she knew that even without being weakened and malnourished as she was, her own temperament could not hold a candle to the woman's, even if she looked more delicate.

There were also the images that she and her sisters had stolen from the minds of scientists that had watched over and experimented on them on the rare occasions when their powers had not been completely suppressed or blocked while in their presence.

A light tremor went through her form as she just locked gazes with the beautiful blonde for a few long moments, not really believing that what she saw was real.

Biting her own tongue as tears started to glisten in her eyes, Celeste asked quietly, faint hope in her voice: "Are you really here?"

"Yes, I am.", came the simple and equally quiet answer. Though it meant so much more for Celeste as for the first time in her life, she heard the voice of her mother.

"You really saved me?", she continued asking softly, quiet tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Yes.", the woman whispered, her eyelashes fluttering as she seemingly tried her hardest to blink away her own tears.

"I am Celeste.", she introduced herself meekly with the name given to her by her sisters.

Smiling ever so slightly, the mature blonde replied: "That's a very beautiful name. I am Emma."

"I-I am the last one.", Celeste couldn't help but utter sorrowfully, fear creeping into her tone as she continued, "They will not stop looking for me."

Feeling a warm hand grasping her own, a tremor went through her at the unexpectant contact, her mother shaking her head gently: "You don't have to worry about any of that. Just focus on getting better. With your uncle around, even if the whole world was after you, no one would be able to harm even a single hair on your body."

"M-my uncle?", Celeste couldn't help but ask tentatively, unsure if she should believe the blonde's promise as she vaguely knew about the power of the organization that had created her and had held her captive.

"Elijah, my younger brother.", her mother answered, "He is much more powerful than either of us. He is also the one that helped me save you. His strength is ... It's simply immeasurable."

The last part she said while lightly shaking her head as if mere words were unable to discribe her younger brother's prowess, her lips drawn up in a fond smile.

…

Being capable of using the Darkforce Dimension in a way that allowed Arya to move from one place to another, naturally was not something that I could just ignore, nor was it something that I had ever expected.

Somehow, the tiny avian was able to 'borrow' my connection to this secondary dimension through the mental bond that we shared, and draw upon the rather incredible powers that my position as the Realm Lord afforded me.

I didn't really understand how it was possible for her to withstand the devouring nature of the Darkforce but I could only guess that it was a combination of the protection that the shield that I had placed around her granted her, as well as some unknown changes that she had gone through as a result of my ascension to a Realm Lord.

Looking at the tiny featherling in my palm that was staring up at me innocently, her affection pure and untainted, I knew that our intimate mental bond had most likely been the spark that had facilitated this change in her.

Even before, our bond had gifted Arya with greater spiritual intelligence, which had not been my intention when I first created the Mental Link between us.

Considering that I did not yet fully understand the extent of my own powers as a Realm Lord, it was reasonable that she might have gained supernatural abilities of her own under the influence of our bond. The Darkforce Dimension wasn't just the source of my power, I was literally the living incarnation of this secondary dimension.

This, in a way, meant that Arya's link to my mind inevitably forged a connection between her and the Darkforce Dimension.

I still promised myself to keep a close eye on Arya from here on onwards to ensure that she wouldn't suffer from the mental corruption and life force corrosion that often accompanied the use of Darkforce, even if such was unlikely with my barrier guarding her mind and life.

Still, I was mostly happy for the tiny owlet that she had gained some abilities to protect herself, even though I did not plan to ever remove the barrier that I had placed around her.

Not to mention that as the familiar of the Lord of Darkforce, it was only natural that Arya was a creature with extraordinary means.

Carefully rubbing her little head and brushing over her tiny black wings, I smiled gently as she pressed herself deeper into my palm while the sun was slowly rising from beyond the horizon.

"You are a special owl, are you not, little princess?", I whispered caringly as I continued my ministrations.

"Hu hu.", Arya hooted softly in response, her eyes forming crescent moons as she looked back at me, agreement and affection overflowing from our mental bond.

Laughing lightly, I enjoyed this short moment of peace with Jean resting in my embrace and Arya by my side while the first rays of the morning sun fell on my figure.

Gentle warmth seeped into my indestructible flesh and blood, strengthening my physique imperceptibly and minutely increasing my power with every moment that passed.

Merely by existing, I was becoming stronger as my Energy Vessel never stopped devouring energy while the Darkforce Dimension was always growing and expanding.